Chef notes
This salad is anything but wimpy thanks to chewy Asian noodles and hearty flank steak. Best of all, it feeds a four people for under $15.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 pound flank steak
- 2 tablespoons coriander, crushed
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
- 2 large limes zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Salt to taste
- 1 package cellophane or rice noodles
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1/3 package (1/2 ounce) cilantro, leaves only
- 1/3 package (1/2 ounce) Thai basil, leaves only
- 1/3 package (1/2 ounce) mint, leaves only
- 1 head butter lettuce, washed and leaves removed from stem
- Red chili flakes, to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds, to taste
- 1 bunch chives, thinly sliced
Preparation
1.To marinate the steak: In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and lime, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag, and pour the marinade over it. Seal the bag, and refrigerate for several hours. Preheat the oven to the broil setting.
2.To make the dressing: In the same marinade bowl, combine the sesame oil, lime zest and juice, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, and red chili flakes, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Salt to taste.
3.In a large bowl, cook the rice noodles according to the manufacturer's instructions. Drain the noodles, and immediately toss the noodles in the dressing. Add the carrots, then cover and refrigerate until serving.
4.To cook the steak: Remove the steak from marinade, and place in a broiler pan. Coat both sides of the steak with crushed coriander and salt. Cook in the oven on the broil setting for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare steak. Let the steak sit for 10 minutes before cutting it diagonally, against the grain, in 1/8-inch slices.
5.To serve: Toss the cilantro, basil, and mint into noodles. On each plate or bowl, place a few leaves of butter lettuce, followed by about 1/2 cup of noodles and several slices of steak. Garnish with the red chili flakes, sesame seeds, and chives.
